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Why We Go To School

Unit 14 / Lesson 2

Why We Go To School

Slides for the Lesson

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Teacher's Prep

  • Games

    • Move On, Look Back

      • Rules and a demonstration of the game are at this YouTube video:

      • This game does not require materials; you just need to play the video before the game, and review the instructions for the class before they play.

    • Rolling Can Race

      • Materials:

        • One empty aluminum can (normally used for soft drinks) for every group of five (in good condition so they roll well). 

        • One balloon for every group of five

        • Have at least one spare aluminum can and at least one spare balloon on hand

        • Masking tape or painter's tape to mark the ground

      • Preparation:

        • Watch this short YouTube video which will be played during the lesson:

        • Blow up all the balloons needed, including a spare balloon.

        • Try the game for yourself -- rubbing the balloon against your hair or a piece of wool, to charge it up, and then moving the can from one location to another location two metres (about six feet) away. You will want to demonstrate the game during the lesson before the kids play.

        • If you want a more in-depth understanding of how static electricity works in this game, you can watch this more detailed video:

    • Dots

  • Main Activity (Bernoulli Flyers):

    • Materials:

      • 2 cups per child (light plastic or styrofoam work best, but paper will work).

      • 1 roll of scotch tape or masking tape per 3-4 children (ideally, each child would have their own roll of tape, but it is fine if they share)

      • 8 mid-sized elastic bands per child

    • Preparation:

      • Watch this video:

      • Physics of toys- Cup Flyers // Homemade Science with Bruce Yeany

      • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05zF0sBwHe8 

      • Make a cup flyer before the lesson so that you will be familiar with the craft. You will want to demonstrate the craft to the kids before they start making their own.


    Intro

  • SLIDE 1

  • Gathering

    • How was your week?

  • Intro Game: Move On, Look Back

    • Instructions

      • Let's start our lesson with a game! Our first game is called, "Move on, Look Back." Let's watch this video to see how it works:

    SLIDE 2

    SLIDE 3

    • Teacher: review the rules, and lead the game like the teacher in the video led it. Have the children form a circle with each one placing their hands on the shoulders in front of the one in front of them. Then use the phrases, "move on," "look back," and "forever alone."

    • Debrief

      • We played this game because today we're talking about school, and sometimes school can feel like someone's just telling us what to do, and we have to do what everyone else is doing.

    SLIDE 4

    • But actually, God has a really cool plan for us for when we are in school. And if we follow His plan, we can become really powerful and we can help lots of people.

    SLIDE 5

  • Big Question

    • Our big question today is: Why do we go to school?

  • Big Idea

    • Our lesson today will help us to understand two of the most important reasons why we are at school:

      • 1. We want to think well, and

      • 2. We want to speak well.

    • We will see these ideas in the Bible.

  • Bible Reference

    • Let's read our Bible verses today.

    SLIDE 6

    • 1 Kings 3:9-11 (CEV)

      • 9 [Solomon prayed:] Please make me wise and teach me the difference between right and wrong. Then I will know how to rule your people. If you don't, there is no way I could rule this great nation of yours.

    SLIDE 7

    • 10-11 God said: Solomon, I'm pleased that you asked for this. You could have asked to live a long time or to be rich. Or you could have asked for your enemies to be destroyed. Instead, you asked for wisdom to make right decisions.

    SLIDE 8

    • Proverbs 25:11 (CEV)

      • The right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver.


    Point 1

  • Our first point is: we want to THINK well.

    SLIDE 9

  • Game: Rolling Can Race

    • Instructions

      • We'll start this point with a game! This one is called the Rolling Can Race! Let's watch a video to see how it works.

      • Teacher: play this video:

      • Teacher: at your first opportunity, make two lines on the floor out of masking tape  or painter's tape. The lines should be about two metres apart, and they will serve as markers for the relay race. Lines should be long enough to accommodate multiple teams of five kids each.

      • Teacher: demonstrate the game for the class.

      • Now, we'll form teams of five, and we will run a relay race. Everyone will charge up their balloon by rubbing it on their hair, and using the magnetic force to pull the can along. And everyone will try to get their can from one line to the other line and back to the first line. Once you get to the other line and back, you can pass the balloon on to another person on your team. If you run out of power, you might need to charge up your balloon on your hair again. And when everyone on your team has finished your race, you all win!

    • Debrief

      • We played this game because there are some neat scientific ideas in the game. If you understand the science, you’ll enjoy the game more, and you’ll also have an easier time doing well at the game.

    SLIDE 10

    • That’s how it’s like when we understand how the world works. If we understand things well, we can enjoy life more, and we’ll have an easier time helping people and doing things that will make us happy in the long run.

  • Bible Reference

    • Our first Bible passage is about a young man who really wanted to understand things better. His name was Solomon, and he had just become the king of Israel. So he prayed.

    SLIDE 11

    • 1 Kings 3:9-11 (CEV)

      • 9 [Solomon prayed:] Please make me wise and teach me the difference between right and wrong. Then I will know how to rule your people. If you don't, there is no way I could rule this great nation of yours.

    SLIDE 12

    • 10-11 God said: Solomon, I'm pleased that you asked for this. You could have asked to live a long time or to be rich. Or you could have asked for your enemies to be destroyed. Instead, you asked for wisdom to make right decisions. 

  • Explanation

    SLIDE 13

    • Solomon really wanted to be able to think clearly, so that he could do a good job being king. He wanted the wisdom to make right decisions. That pleased God.

    • It pleased God that Solomon wanted to help people by thinking clearly.

  • Application

    SLIDE 14

    • And all of us can please God in a similar way. And, if we do, we will make God happy. But, how will we learn all the things we need to know? Well, school is a great place to start. There’s so much to learn at school! So, if you keep praying that God will make you smarter so that you can help people better, that will make God happy, and you'll know that when you're at school, you're in exactly the right place.

    SLIDE 15

  • Discussion Question

    • Let's pause for a discussion question:

      • What's your least favorite subject at school, and why?


    Point 2

  • Our second point is: we want to SPEAK well.

    SLIDE 16

    • Game: Dots

      • Instructions

        • Let's start this point with a game! This one is called "Dots."

        • Instructions for the teacher

          • 1.  Have students stand in a circle with their backs facing inside the circle. This is so they won't be able to see what color dot you are placing on other student's foreheads.

          • 2.  Have students close their eyes.  You don't want them to see what color dot they have on their forehead either!

          • 3.  Place a colored dot on their forehead.  You can get these at an office supply store, or in the office supply section of most discount stores.  I usually use 5 different colors.

          • 4.  Tell students that the object of the "Dots" game is to find the other students who have the same dot on their forehead. They have to group up in a corner of the room. Here's the catch- they can't talk!  They have to find the other people with the same colored dots without talking.  They can use hand signals, but absolutely no noises!  The other challenge is they won't know what color their dot is either.

          • 5.  Instruct students to open their eyes and begin moving around the room to find their friends with same color dots.

          • 6.  In order to complete the challenge successfully, they must be in a group and have all the same colored dots.

      • Debrief

        • We played this game because it's about helping each other to understand important things about ourselves.

        • In a much greater way, we can do that with our words. We can help each other to understand amazing things, (continue)

    SLIDE 17

    • if we know how to use our words properly. So, the Bible tells us that words are precious.

  • Bible Reference

    SLIDE 18

    • Proverbs 25:11 (CEV)

      • The right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver.

  • Explanation

    • Can you imagine giving someone a precious piece of gold and silver? That's what it's like to say the right word at the right time. Sometimes the right words can change a person’s life.

    • But, we need to say the right thing, and we need to say it at the right time.

    SLIDE 19

  • Application

    • If you want to know what to say, you'll need to learn a lot.

    • And if you want to know when to say things, that comes with practice.

    • And you'll get both of these things at school!

    SLIDE 20

    • You'll learn lots of things at school, AND you'll get a chance to practice talking about your ideas.

    • And, sooner or later, if you keep learning and practicing how to speak, you'll be able to help someone in a big way.

    SLIDE 21

  • Discussion Question

    • Let's pause for a discussion question:

      • What is one of your favorite things that you’ve ever heard someone say to you?


    SLIDE 22

    Conclusion

  • Now let's wrap up this lesson by talking about the big ideas again.

  • Our big question was: "why do we go to school?"

  • Our big idea was: 

    • 1. We want to think well, and

    • 2. We want to speak well.

  • If we want to think well in order to help people, that really pleases God.

  • And if we can speak well, we will have the ability to give the precious gift of words to people we love.

  • So, God has given us schools so that we can learn to think well and speak well. And that's why we should try our best when we are at school.


    SLIDE 23

    Main Activity: Bernoulli Flyers

  • And now it's time for our main activity. Today, we're going to make flying cups!

  • Teacher: demonstrate your craft.

  • In a moment we'll all be making our own flying cups! And this craft will remind us of what we learned today. It will remind us of all the really cool things we can do if we can think well and speak well.

  • Now let's watch a video to learn more about how to make a cup flyer:

  • Teacher: play this YouTube video:

  • Teacher: when they have taped their cups together, they will need to make a rubber band chain. That is the trickiest part of the craft construction. You can play this video which should help them make their rubber band chains:


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